ARH Announces Changes to Visitation Guidelines

ARH Announces Changes to Visitation Guidelines

 

Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) is advancing their efforts to keep patients safe while modifying current visitation guidelines at their hospitals and clinics throughout Central Appalachia.

 

On Friday, November 6, the following visitation guidelines will go into effect.

 

ARH COVID-19 VISITATION GUIDELINES: 11/06/2020

  • Adult inpatients at ARH hospitals (except those diagnosed with COVID-19 or those in isolation) may have one visitor, who should remain in the patient’s room for the duration of the visit, during visiting hours (11 A.M. to 8 p.m.).
  • In general adult patients may have one visitor accompany him/her for hospital services.
  • Pediatric patients (defined up to age 22) may have two adult parents or legal guardians accompany him/her for hospital services.

 

Important information for all visitors

  • All visitors should arrive wearing a mask and the mask must be properly worn at all times while in an ARH facility.
  • All visitors will be screened when entering an ARH facility. Any visitor with noted symptoms for the COVID-19 virus will not be allowed entry.
  • All visitors should wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or apply hand sanitizer when entering and leaving patient rooms.
  • All visitors must stay in the patient’s room the entire time of the visit. Once the visitor leaves the patient’s room, they must leave the facility immediately.

 

Hospitals

  • Adult inpatients at ARH hospitals (except those diagnosed with COVID-19 or those in isolation) may have one visitor in the room during visiting hours (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and during discharge instructions.
  • Patients at end of life may have two visitors. **
  • Maternity patients may have two designated support person(s) for labor, delivery and duration of the mother’s hospital stay.
  • Pediatric patients:
    • Pediatric patients, including neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), may have two visitors who are a parent or guardian.
    • Pediatric patients who test positive for COVID-19 or for whom a COVID-19 test is pending may have two parent or guardian visitors. The visitor should not have COVID-19. (If there is a known positive visitor/guardian that individual must be directly escorted to the patient’s room and receive an N-95 mask for proper use while in the ARH facility.)

 

ARH Chaplaincy Service:  As requested by patients or the legally authorized patient advocate, ARH welcomes chaplains for spiritual service. (This spiritual service is understood to be in addition to the authorized daily visitor.)

 

Emergency Departments (visitor allowed 24 hours in ED)

  • Adult patients may have one person accompany them into the facility.
  • Pediatric patients may have two parents or guardians accompany them.

 

Doctors’ Offices / Clinics

  • Patients should contact their provider’s office prior to their appointments to be fully informed of the required conditions.
  • All patients, including parents/guardians of a pediatric patient and/or a guest of those patients who need assistance, should arrive wearing a mask and will be required to complete a screening prior to their appointments.
  • Patients should wait in their vehicles or outside the office and call the office before entering the doctor’s office/clinic.
  • Adult patients who do not require assistance may not be accompanied in the doctor’s office/clinic. **
  • Pediatric patients may have two parents or guardians to accompany them in the doctors’ office/ clinic.

 

Inpatient and outpatient surgeries and procedures

  • All patients and visitors should arrive wearing a mask and will complete a screening when entering the facility.
  • Adult patients having a procedure or surgery may have one person accompany them into the facility and for discharge instructions.
  • Pediatric patients having a procedure or surgery may have two parents or guardians accompany them into the facility and for discharge instructions.
  • During the procedure all visitors will be requested to wait in their vehicle or a safe designated waiting space and will be notified when it is time to return to the surgical suite to coordinate discharge instructions as needed.

 

Behavioral Health Facilities / Skilled Nursing Facility

  • No visitors allowed on adult behavioral health units until further notice.
  • No visitors allowed in skilled nursing facilities until further notice.

 

 

“The health and safety of our patients and healthcare teams are our top priority as we continue to move through this pandemic,” stated Maria Braman, MD, ARH Chief Medical Officer.  “We are asking our communities to partner with us to keep each other safe. You can do your part by following CDC guidelines: keep a safe physical distance of six feet or more, wear a mask when around others and wash your hands regularly.”